Phencyclidine serum test: Procedure, Purpose, Results, Cost, Price, Online booking

What is Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test?

The phencyclidine (PCP) serum test checks for the presence of the hallucinogenic drug PCP in your blood.

PCP was originally introduced in 1957 as an anaesthetic for surgeries. Though phencyclidine is no longer used for clinical purposes - due to its undesirable effects on the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) - it is now abused as a recreational drug.

The dose and the route by which PCP enters the body determine its activity on the brain. At low doses, it blocks the action of certain brain chemicals and brings about a feeling of well-being (euphoria) and hallucinations (where a person hears, feels and sees things, which do not exist in reality). It also causes dissociation – the feeling of separation from the body and surroundings. At higher doses, PCP causes toxicity and can lead to coma, seizures or even death.

Why is a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test performed?
How do you prepare for a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test?
How is a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test performed?
What do Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test results mean?

Why is a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test performed?

Your doctor may advise this test if you show the following symptoms of PCP abuse or intoxication:

Extreme irritability
Disorientation (sense of unawareness concerning surroundings and people)
Muscle stiffness
Seizures (fits)
Depression and suicidal tendencies

This test may be recommended:

Before employment
Monitoring pain medication (to check the use of non-prescribed or illegal drugs like PCP)
Screening athletes for drug use

It is important to note that PCP can be detected in the blood from 1-4 hours of intake; therefore, a blood test can only be used to detect acute PCP use.

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How do you prepare for a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test?

You do not need any preparation before this test. Inform your doctor about any prescription or non-prescription medicines that you may be taking. This is because, combining PCP with other prescribed medications such as ibuprofen, venlafaxine methadone, etc., and alcohol can produce undesirable side effects and may alter the test results.

How is a Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test performed?

Your doctor will withdraw 7 to 10 mL of blood from a vein in your arm. There is no specific time for sample collection, but it is ideal to get this test done in the morning.

Some people get a temporary bruise at the site from where the blood is drawn. It fades away within a few days. If the bruise doesn’t go away, you must contact your doctor.

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What do Phencyclidine (PCP) Serum test results mean?

Normal results:

A normal result is reported as negative. It means that no PCP was found in your blood. Though it could also mean that the drug was already been eliminated from the body or is too low to be detected from the collected sample. You should consult your doctor to know what the results exactly mean.

Abnormal results:

An abnormal result may be reported as positive. It means that the amount of PCP detected in the serum is above the cut-off values and is identified in the sample collected. The cut-off value of phencyclidine in serum is usually around 10ng/mL.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.

References

Ferguson AM, Garg U. Quantitation of phencyclidine (PCP) in urine and blood using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Methods Mol Biol. 2010;603:461–467. PMID: 20077098.
Science Direct (Elsevier) [Internet]; Phencyclidine
PubChem: National Center for Biotechnology Information [Internet]. US National Library of Medicine. Bethesda. Maryland. USA; Phencyclidine
Bope E, Kellerman R. Conn’s Current Therapy. 1st Edition. Saunders; 2014: Pp 1193,1249.
Journey JD, Bentley TP. Phencyclidine (PCP) Toxicity. [Updated 2019 Nov 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan
Kowalchuk A, Reed BC. Textbook of Family Medicine. 9th ed. Saunders; 2016. Chap 50.
Iwanicki JL. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Saunders; 2018. Chap 150 - Hallucinogens.
National Institute on Drug Abuse [internet]. National Institute of Health. Bethesda. Maryland. US; Hallucinogens and dissociative drugs
US Department of Justice. Drug Enforcement Administration. Diversion Control Division [Internet]. Springfield. Virginia. US; State Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [internet]. Atlanta (GA): US Department of Health and Human Services; What States Need to Know about PDMPs
UCSF health: University of California [internet]. US; Toxicology Screen
Bey Tareg, and Patel Anar. Phencyclidine Intoxication and Adverse Effects: A Clinical and Pharmacological Review of an Illicit Drug. Cal J Emerg Med. 2007 Feb; 8(1): 9–14. PMID: 20440387.